Soda Pop Love!
by PoisedPunk
Summary: He just stares at her. She just stares back. They just can't seem to say it. But how would these two take it to the next level and confess- or admit- their sweet and frothy love to each other? A few more S.P.L's might just be the trick... or it would just make it worse..? Let's see. (Based on Len and Miku's SPL*Photo isn't mine*May contain other minor pairings*)
1. One: The Small Paper Letter

Note:_ This story wouldn't be mostly based on the SPL Pv. I'd love to put **more** to it..!_

_ Before reading this, be sure to watch the PV first..! 3 (Beware: Cuteness Explosion!)_

_LINK:_ : / watch?v=gMqv1bU1pwg ( just copy it and paste on the Youtube URL)

_Oh, and the** main** meaning of SPL (which I think it probably means) is in the FINAL CHAPTER..! A little surprise and guesses are fun!_

One: The **S**mall **P**aper **L**etter

Everything went silent; well, maybe to _them_. All one could _ever_ hear was _their _breathing. A cold, _malicious _boy passed by to a _sweet,_ cheery little girl

Complete opposites- but still, they shared one _mutual_ infatuation. Opposites as they are, they both don't consider it as… _'mutual'_. Such a tragic tale. Well, at least just for _her_. Or so she thought?

Navy blue clashed with emerald green across the sea of students. Though they were almost a mile apart, they still saw each other.

She held his icy gaze, but he_ averted_ hers. It _wasn't_ the first time that their eyes met. In fact, they haven't met in person. **Yet**. Well, in this case, it _might_ be the first.

And it all began with a paper... with only 3 alphabetical letters.

4:30 in the afternoon, in the last week of spring. Crypton High will soon be covered by the sun's orange blanket. The wide track field was already dark; the building's shadow was getting bigger and wider. Stairway gates closed. Hallways were empty, all students were at the school's exit gates... Except for one.

A shadow flashed from locker to locker. The aluminum locker cases were 7 foot high, each holding 30 compartments. It was a perfect hiding place, wide and tall. Compared to a 5'1'' student, though. _That_ was one of the advantages of being short.

The teen stopped at the last set of lockers and went to its front. A piece of paper was on the teen's hands. Then the 'teen-spy' looked at the nearest window. The skies were painted in dark indigo. Rats. It was already _dark!_ That means...

** FLASH!**

The lights were turned on. Panicking, the teen immediately held hands on to the locker-

"Hey! What are you doing?"

Doing his duty, the school guard happens to spot a student on-campus. He was well dressed on his uniform. But something was a bit… _Inaccurate_. He was _shivering_, holding a silver penlight. The student whirled and faced him.

A petite, _cyan_-haired girl stood near the lockers. Her hair was tied into two pigtails. Her arms were held high, to the angle of her lean shoulder. There was a **_red_**_ bracelet_ dangling on her right wrist. While on her right arm was a cream white…_envelope_? The guard took a step back, gaining _courage_ to say;

"Wha- Why would a little girl be doing in the school hallways? A-a-at night?"

She looked down, sheepishly, as she daintily swung her arms at her back. Well, there goes her plan. How could she open this if she doesn't have a key? She held on to the 'locker's _lock_.' She has _got _to think of something. Or maybe…

"I… I was going to get…" She paused. '_What would be in __**his **__locker..?' "_uhhm-my books!—but," She leaned against the locker. "I forgot my keys."

The school guard sighed. '_At least it wasn't a ghost'_. She thought _she_ was the one who could be _relieved_. Her fingers wondered around the metal plate- a gap!

"Okay, do you want me to break the lock-?"

She stopped whatever she was doing. "Uh- no, I-it's alright," She waved frantically with her left hand. "I can do it tomorrow."

The guard looked at her in disbelief. He didn't believe her. Why was she here, if she could do it tomorrow?

"Tomorrow, eh? All you're going to do by tomorrow is deten-"

"What's going on here?" A voice from their backs was heard. The twin-pigtailed girl leaned on her right side, viewing a tall, mature woman standing behind the guard.

She looked so… _formal_. She was wearing stockings, a long, blue skirt covering it, topping it with a cream white polo. Her pink hair tied into a bun, not a lock standing. Maybe she's a high class teacher.

As she observed the teacher; the guard explained everything. Th teacher was listening intently, her eyes never leaving the guard. A tint of pink was _visibly_ on her cheeks. Does she..? The little girl looked at the guard. She could only see the guard's rear. He had long, purple hair; she didn't notice _that _before. Well, that was _manly_. His hands were rubbing on the back of his neck. Wait, was he… sweating?

"So, you were saying that this… girl," She pointed at her. "...has _mysteriously_ sneaked in the hallways, Mr. Kamui?"

"A-aa-ah- yes, Ma'am Megurine," So called Mr. Kamui said, scratching his neck a bit faster. She felt her lips widened. They _might _like each other. But at least they got to talk to each other…

She _leaned_ a bit more on the locker, feeling the_ crumpled_ texture of the envelope. She swore she couldn't feel her elbow anymore.

"What do you say your name was, dear?" The pink-haired teacher looked at her. Oh, she was referring to her.

"Mi-Miku, Hat-" She propped closer to the metal case. "-**SU**ne-!" The two elders widened their eyes as she did. "Hatsune Miku."

Ms. Megurine huddled over to the guard, whose shoulders_ visibly_ stiffened. He got 10 points for that mature lady. Miku listened carefully, but all she heard were _faint_ voices. But she could hear it just fine.

'What should we do with her?' She heard the guard say. Miku looked at the window, it was almost nighttime. Her brother wouldn't like this…

The teacher's lips parted, ready to answer the guard's question when-

"Dark!" Miku shouted _all of a sudden_. Their attention _quickly_ focused to her. She wished she didn't say that. There's no turning back now...

"I… I-i-t's getting dark… A-and…" She went speechless.

"And?"

"I can't find my way home," She replied briefly.

Silence barged in. Now her class record will be ruined. She knew she would get detention for this… But it was all worth it. The teal-headed grinned dreamily.

"Very well then," Ms. Megurine nodded, leaving an overwhelmed Miku.

"Let's escort you back."

The teacher led the way, followed by the guard. Miku was about to push herself against the locker- Something came up.

"Psst!" she called the guard, who turned around quickly. "You gotta tell her."

The guard had a puzzled look. Miku stood straight, her hands still at her back. "Maybe she likes you back."

His eyes widened, then he looked down. It wouldn't hurt to admit it to a kid.

"Maybe she won't," his nasal voice replied.

"What if she does. Tell her before it's too late."

The guard opened his mouth in denial, but then he nodded in response. A crooked smile appearing in his face.

"Yeah, I guess she would." He nodded then said his 'thanks' before turning around and continued to walk.

She smiled, at least she fixed something today. Miku got up on her toes, and **banged** the locker with her_ left_ arm. 'Ooops.'

The guard didn't really noticed, since he was in front of her. She immediately trailed along. Clumsy her.

Then she looked behind her. The locker looked normal, at least. She skipped, but tried her best to hide her sympathy. She _slipped _the envelope without getting caught!

_ 'That should do it._'

And now, she could finally _talk _to **_him_** than just _looking_ at him. She couldn't bear to come up to him and suddenly say, 'Hi, I love you!' Or even crazily ask him his number when she _just _met him. She couldn't think of another option but to send him a letter. Well, that's what her _best friend_ suggested. It's alright if he doesn't return her feelings. She… _might_ try to understand that. Sort of…

Why did she liked him? She doesn't know for sure. But he caught her eye at the first day of school. She caught him looking at her. And… she never saw those kinds of eyes before. Eyes that have… a warm and… **_fuzzy_** sensation. More like, just in one look, it could **_fill_** your heart.

The dazed daydreamer- or night-dreamer- sighed _pensively_. She's lucky the two older beings couldn't see her making funny faces. Even if **he** doesn't reply, which would most _likely_ happen, at least he doesn't know her name or her identity. Everything would turn out_ just_ fine.

qoooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooo ooooooop

Back at the hallway, a tall figure came along. The floor was spick and span, nothing to- "Huh..?"

Something shined at the corner of the metal lockers. He went closer, leaving his utilities behind. "A… bracelet?"

He picked up the red pearl bracelet and continued to walk into the hall. Shadows enveloped him as he went further and further.

* * *

Note:

_ Did you notice the envelopes with heart stamps at the beginning of the PV? Got the idea there ;3 If you haven't watched it... __**Watch it!**__ I TOTALLY recommend that PV._

_ That's a wrap! Okay. Was that... __**okay?**_ _Well, actually, this is my first ever published online storidea (Story + idea, yeah, I made that up ;) ) _

_ I just __**have**__ to publish it. The idea in me was burning me up. If I didn't do anything, well probably I'd regret not sharing it... to you. (If there really__** is**__ reading this, aside from my future self )_

_If only I can read your mind against this... crystal monitor... And know that someone __**is**__ reading this! :DDDD LOL._

_So,,, please tell me what you think! (Review, message, something? Idk how this works, hehe) I really want to know! I want to reach your expectations!_

***Have a nice day!***


	2. Two: The Simple Plan for Love

Two : "The **S**imple **P**lan for **L**ove"

qooooooooooooooOOOOOOoooooooooooooop

"Pikooooooooooooo!" There screamed a _deafening_ high-pitched voice across the field. It was a hot Tuesday morning, and _that_ shriek would probably 'awaken' Sleeping Beauty or something. A pale, silver-headed boy turned to face where it came from, a little hesitant. He looked somehow between 14-15 years old.

"Hey!" A warm tap was felt on his rear. He was used to it. To her… _giddy _behavior. There, walking tall- or confident- beside him was Hatsune Miku, a sophomore like him. Miku was on her usual style, her twin-teal-tails swaying, and briefcase being carried by her hand with a red bangle dangling… She wasn't wearing it.

"Miku, where's your bracelet?" He pointed his finger at her left wrist. Her sea-green eyes followed then she raised her hand. Bracelet? Where could she leave it..? It was given to her by her mother and now… She felt a small heart attack on her chest, thumping and beating as pictures flashed in front of her. Then she calmed.

"Oh, I must've left it at home," she waved her hand. Though she wasn't sure, but she's got to stay positive. "I did wake up late today since I…"

"Since you what..?" Piko checked her, his brows furrowed.

"Piko, I've sent the letter~" Miku recalled she woke up late earlier because she already sent the letter.

Letter? Oh, right. He told her to send a letter instead of just stalking him. She has been following him for seven months now. Or more.

"What, aren't you happy?" The teal said, the smile on her face never fading. She was always like this; cheerful and happy. He never saw a single frown on her face. And to think they were friends ever since 5th grade. But never in _any_ way has he gone into a romantic interest in her. No… Okay, maybe a _little_, but, no. And to think that she'd_ like_ a boy… who's completely in _contrary_ to her.

Whenever Piko saw that blonde he always saw him looking…dreary, scary even. His eyes were always gloomy. His hands were _always _on his pockets and headphones on his shoulders. It's not like he's judging him just because he doesn't know him. He's judging him because _Miku_ doesn't know him.

"M-Miku, didn't you even think whether he'll reply or not?"

He asked her without answering her question. He didn't want to see her down, or hurt. Utatane Piko was usually timid. But not around Miku. _Never_. Perhaps that's why they became friends. He _always_ knew how she'd react. She never questions him, or look at him with her bad side. He didn't think that she even _has_ a 'bad side'. But her joyfulness has disadvantages at times.

"Of course I did!" She clasped her hands, cutting Piko's thoughts short. "I didn't even write my name or anything!"

"Wait, what..?" came the automatic reply. He could feel his jaw _nearly_ dropped. She didn't write her name? But, what if; "Then what if _he _replies..?"

Miku's mouth formed a small circle. "That right! If he replies _without _knowing my identity, then would it be a_ surprise_ if he sees me?"

Face-palm. Yup, he's used to this… Her cheery aura led her to become clumsy. Or probably it's the other way around. She usually gets high grades in school. If 'love' was an exam; he knew she'd get 0. "Assuming he wants to '_reply_', how on _Earth_ would you talk if he doesn't even know you?"

The cheerful girl positioned her index finger to her lips, "At lunch…" she turned her attention to Piko, "I told him to meet me at the rooftop..!"

He studied Miku's face, all innocent and bright. So, all she wrote in that letter… the letter which was her '_only hope to love'_… which _almost _got her to detention… all she just wrote was an address..? "Did you wrote something el-"

"Oh, don't even think about it," her sweet and soft voice interrupted him, his eyes fixed at her. "I wouldn't tell you _everything_ I wrote, would I?"

Piko's eyes were in the floor. If they'd meet… would she finally confess to him? He thought. It was a nice plan to converse, but… He wasn't so sure about it. He doesn't want Miku to lose her smile… but, he doesn't have to come. It was private.

"Oh..! See you at the rooftop later!" her voice peered through Piko's thoughts. What was he thinking before..? Why does she have to do this all the time-?

"I mean, the bell will ring any second now," she said. She did it again. Why..!?

Instead of worrying about such _nonsense_, he should answer her before she cuts his thoughts again. Piko faced his best friend, who was standing near the doorway. Still, he wasn't so sure about this… being at the rooftop at lunch and all… Wait, at the _rooftop_ at **lunch**..?

"At the **rooftop**?" he asked, as if he was talking to a deranged person.

"Yup, at the rooftop."

Miku stopped her pace. They were already in front of class A-2. Her class.

He and Miku weren't classmates. He even happens to share the same room with _him;_ Len Kagamine, the blonde Miku likes. That's why he knew his locker number. But what he wasn't sure was whether he and sister _shared _the same locker…

He wondered whether he and his sister are the same… Come to think of it, he never talked to his sister before, or to him either… But what if they shared the same locker? Does that mean…

"What's this..?" A blonde girl examined an unopened small envelope. There was a_ cute_ little heart stamp on the middle. Who would put a well-looking letter in_ her_ locker..? A small gasp was heard under her breath.

She spun around, the letter close to her chest. _'An admirer!' _

"Rin, what exactly are you doing?"

The world she saw stopped twirling around; yellow and blue colors were forming a shape. A similar figure was standing before her.

"Oh, Len," she said, her eyes still spinning. They looked just the same, although Len was obviously a boy. And that Rin had a smile on her face; his was nothing but a frown.

Her brother focused his gaze on what Rin was holding. "What's that?"

"N-nothing!" The dazed blonde hid the paper on her back. She didn't want her nosy brother to '_interfere'_ with _her_ love life, obviously. He didn't do those things before, but it's most likely to happen. Good thing television warned her about it.

"Where'd you get that?" Len leaned to see what she was hiding.

"I… found it on my desk!" Rin closed the locker door. She knew he wouldn't like it when someone snuck in their book case.

"…You found it in _our_ locker, didn't you?"

"But it was in _my_ part of the space..!" Rin dumped her books on top of the metal case.

They shared the same container. That sucked. But she couldn't complain more, she wouldn't want to bother their kind _foster_ parents… She sighed.

"Rin, you knew we _shouldn't_ just accept _anything_ from _**anonymous**_ people!" Len's voice rose. The air went _heavy_. Just by that.

Students looked at them as if there was a person who dropped dead. Rin looked down on the floor, she was a little used to this.

"Len, it's just-"

"You know what happens; _**it**_ will happen again-"

"_**It**_'ll _never_ happen again and you know that!"

The atmosphere became tense once again, like hot steam on an enclosed room. She could feel her eyes _stinging_._** It**_ gave them a _horrid_ effect, even though it happened a _long_ time ago. A change on them. On their personality. On who they are. If Len became… _cold_; she's now… _sensitive_. A crybaby.

"L-len, i-i-i-tt's **just** a love letter," She cleared, waving the envelope with a heart stamp in front of Len's puzzled face. Rin looked at her shiny black shoes.

Somehow, Rin liked it better when they were still _**there**_, even though it was lonely._ There_; when he was _still_ hopeful and happy. And now he's… She _choked_ back her sobbing, shaking down what she was about to say. Probably the_ grey_ environment there got into his mind. She wondered if he could be the same if…

"…What does it say?" she heard Len's voice softened. Rin's eyes lit up. Liquid in her eyes backed up, somehow _retreating_. Then she sniffed. That's right..! She hasn't read _anything_ on it yet.

Rin carefully removed the heart sticker on the envelope. A small ripped pad paper was in it. Without unfolding it, she immediately saw four _**words**_ on the folded paper.

"Lunch at the rooftop…" she read, her eyes sparkling. She inserted the letter inside her algebra book. The blonde turned to Len. "Can I..?"

Without looking at his twin, he waved his hand to a gesture signaling _'go'._ His twin bowed in front of him; hugging her school books.

The blonde boy placed his books on his desk. Then he shoved his hands on his pockets. There was something suspicious on that letter. Who would _ever_ give his sister a letter all of a sudden? He has to _investigate_ on this.

**RIIIIIing!RingRingRingRingRingRingRingRingRingRing RingRingRingRingRiiiiiing!**

The lunch bell rang. Students came out of their rooms in perfect unison like a military alert has rung. Rin brought her lunch bag and went off to the main stairway. All of them were off to the school canteen, at the west part of the building. Well, _most_ of them.

Len, on the other hand, was going to the opposite of the current. He was heading east; where the maintenance and security office was. Their school must be very thoughtful for putting such room. But, why would a student like him be there?

"Sir, who's in patrol yesterday?"

The blonde asked the head security in the counter, who was currently leaning _comfortably_ on his chair. "Why do 'ya ask, lad?"

"Someone snuck a paper on our locker, we were sure it was yesterday," Len spoke, his voice calm. "I was wondering if I can talk to the patrol, or watch the CCTV."

The head guard _grudgingly_ picked up a record book on the desk, flipping the neat pages. For a security guard, they were pretty organized. And lazy.

"'Ya _can't_ talk with Gakupo right n_ow_- he's havin' his lu_nch_," he spat. "With his lady."

Another guard spoke across the room. "Yeh, I heard he's got himself a teacher, head - 'ya know, the one's he's talkin' about."

The head guard talked back at him, "Yeh, that one, I couldn't-"

"Could I watch the video then?" Len spoke, impatient. These guards weren't doing their job. Or perhaps they _underestimated_ him.

"_Ay_e, just w_ai_t a min_ute_," he tapped his keyboard, typing something. A small pop sound was heard. "Owh, I'm sorry laddie, cam. 5117 was down tod_ay_." He glided across his desk, then sat on his chair. "Perhaps you could ask the-"

**BAM! **The wooden door was closed.

"Or not."

Len walked back to the room, frustrated. They were _not_ doing their jobs. He scratched his head. He rushed back towards the hallway when-

"Gah!" He bumped into someone. His hair was untied. It took him hours to tie it. He regained his balance and found a blue-haired maintenance boy.

"Watch where you're going next time..!" He pointed his finger at the yellow plastic stand. "This is a wet floor zone," he said, picking up a wooden mop on the floor. His voice was deep and low.

"It wasn't my fa-"Len resisted denying. Then his voice calmed down. "I… apologize."

The janitor scratched his head, then spoke, "Nah, it's alright. I'm done anyways; it looks just as perfect as the hallways…"

Len dusted his white polo shirt- if there _was_ dust. He wasn't really paying attention to him, he needed to know who sent it. He readjusted the headphones on his neck then continued to listen.

"…that hallway took me a very long time to clean yesterday, took me almost a night…" Len's eyes lit up as the janitor continued talking. "Hey, I'm a rookie, it's hard to clean that-"

"You cleaned the hallways yesterday?" Len cut the conversation.

"Yeah, why-"

"Did you see anyone- _anybody_ near room B-2?" His desperate cerulean eyes stared at him. He _has_ to know who sent it…

"I'm sorry, I haven't seen someone there," he spoke, fixing his cart. Len's eyes dropped. "But I _did_ saw something."

He reached his hand out to Len, saying, "Well, I was about to give it to… someone since it suits her… You know, she really likes to _drink_… but…"

Len reached for it. A hard, circular, silky smooth '_thing'_ met his touch. He tucked it in his pocket without looking at it. This was it. This would help him. He continued his pace when he thought of something.

"Don't worry, I could bring it to your '_someone'_ if I don't need it anymore."

qoooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo op

_At the rooftop…._

The sun was high; its light reflecting the steel roof of the educational building, blinding everyone who looks at it. Just below the roof was a doorway to the stairs. In front of it were two dehydrated students sitting cross-legged on the cemented floor, the roof's shade was shielding them from the heat. They were… _eagerly_ waiting for the wrong person.

"I told you we'd bring a gallon of water," Miku rubbed her throat, her voice rusty.

"You didn't tell me anything," Piko stood in front of her, still active. "Are you stranded in the desert or something?"

"I _am_ stranded," she forced herself to speak. "Stranded…"

He faced the doorway, no one has come. They've been waiting for 19 minutes..! "Miku, are you sure he'll come?" And then he leaned at the wall. He knew it. If he wasn't here, he's sure Miku's going to lose… hope. He shook his head, his cowlick shaking with him. She'll never lose hope. Probably.

"I couldn't take it anymore!" Miku jumped out of her position, startling the timid Piko. _She… gave up?_ Miku dusted her skirt, "I'm going to buy a drink..!"

There she goes again. Her cheerful side. She hasn't doubted anything, or at least in all the times he was with her. But still, why could she fall for… _him_?

"Just wait for him here, okay?" She ran into the corner, to the doorway. Piko could hear her footsteps fast- she must've been really thirsty.

The pale teen sat down, his khaki pants drooping. He knew he'll wait long. He was sure that Kagamine wouldn't come; he probably threw the letter without reading it, knowing that boy. What if he did? Well, it's a happy-ever-_disaster_ for Miku. He wouldn't like her back… would he?

The teal haired girl strolled across the large cafeteria. Students were seated on most of the round tables, some were waiting at the line, buying. Her knees were trembling; she wanted to drink already..!

The line wasn't moving an inch. She was _still_ four to five people farther than the counter..! Why hadn't she waited for him to come..?

… Then the teal realized something….

She knew she should've brought her water bottle with her.

Meanwhile, Piko rested his cheek on his palm, his elbows on his thighs. Maybe she sent it in the wrong locker… Did he… tell Miku the exact locker? They were classmates; he was sure of what _their_ locker was… Then something came up.

_Literally_, someone _was_ going up on the stairs. Footsteps was heard, tap after tap. Has Miku come back? Piko shook his head. No, she just left 6 minutes ago… Could it be..?

"Hello..?"

The voice echoed throughout the wide, exposed area. The voice was _sharp_ and high pitched- _feminine_, even… It was _nothing_ like his best friend's, _nor_ a male's voice- heck, he couldn't even _match_ that level (He can reach a _feminine_ voice, as Miku says,)… Piko inclined against the wall, as if he was the _human-Spider_. He knew it.

"Hello?" It repeated. "Anybody here?"

_Dammit!_ He cursed. _Where the heck is Miku?_ He knew it; he just didn't believe it- he was now at the rooftop-_**alone**_, with a **girl**. Yes, Miku _is_ a girl, but this, he _**never**_ knew her. Okay, maybe they are classmates for their first subject, but they _**never**_ met for the past few months. And he isn't _good_ with talking to strangers. But if she is here, then where's Le-

"Oh, there you are..!"

"**GAH**!" He felt a small tap on his shoulders. She was at his back!

"I _knew_ there was an admirer!"

The colors mixed as he felt the world was spinning. Then colors of yellow and blue began to fix in place- ah..! Two blue orbs were staring intently at him. Piko suddenly felt hysterical.

"I knew it I knew I **knew** it! No wonder there was a letter on the locker because an _admirer_ put it there and then here they thought it was a just a _prank_ and then Len even told me to 'not go to the rooftop cause it's suspicious' and stuff then went off to _find the guard_ then ended up talking to the janitor instead which I know is quite above my comprehension but then again I…"

Piko couldn't catch up with her anymore; he couldn't even understand what the heck she was saying. This _Blondie_ talks fast! Was that even possible? He examined her a bit; she was still talking- with _matching_ hand gestures. He should've listened to his instincts..!

He thought of one thing- is this even the _emo_ Len Kagamine's sister? She kept on _talking_- he kept on _sulking_… She was the opposite of him- very much like Miku- but _**worse**_.! … He quit panicking. Speaking of Miku, where was she?

"You're in my class, right?"

Piko's attention drifted to her- she suddenly stopped talking. She was _**still**_ looking at him- yet this time, her head was tilted 45 degrees. But Piko just stared at her. She decided to change the subject.

"So, _you're_ my admirer?"

"**N-NO**!"

Piko rubbed his temples. He has _a __**lot**_of explaining to do.

qoooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooop 

One person that separated Miku and the counter finally left. _Finally_. She could have a good drink. The lady opened the fridge, which was releasing cool, visible white gas.

The lady handed her the juice. Miku stared at the glass. She could see the **glorious**, that _wonderful_ sight of _cold_ beverages; its bottle fully covered with _dew_ drops. And after a few seconds, she could _finally_ feel the cool icy liquid running down to her throat-

"Yeeow!" The berry juice spilled on the floor, wetting her shoes. Somebody pushed her..!

"E-excuse me, miss… did… did you happen to visit the locker hallways before?"

Miku's shoulder's tensed; her thirst- and maybe her drink on the floor- _melted_ with the tension. She looked at her right- oh blubber. On the lighting of a _faint_ fluorescent light, she could still see the golden blonde hair and ocean deep blue eyes … a _fuzzy_ feeling boiled inside her. It was _**him**_.

But how did he manage to know it's her? She thought. Miku's eyes lit. _Piko_. So, he already went to the rooftop..? Miku clenched her little palm. This time, she _would_ talk to him! She _must_! She _hesitantly_ parted her lips to answer him when someone answered for her.

"No, I haven't," The brunette-lady-in-red furrowed her eyebrows. "And if you excuse me, you have bumped my customer, mind if you apologize?"

Len dug into his pockets. He wanted to give this to her, as the janitor said. He had no other clues on which this bracelet belonged. But somehow, it was familiar… as if he saw it before, but he couldn't tell when or who was wearing it.

Miku turned to him. He was looking at the cafeteria lady. So, he wasn't talking to her? Miku pouted. She has to make a first move.

"N-no..! It's okay! It's not like I got wet or anything…" She felt a squishy feeling on her ankles, and then sheepishly looked at the man beside her. "Except for my… shoes."

Len turned to the '_customer-he-bumped_' beside him- I-it's _her_..! His chest began _burning_- more like _boiling. _This feeling… it's here once again. What's this… sensation? It felt familiar… felt a small lump in his throat. He just couldn't swallow it; he couldn't speak a word… _any_ word, but it's forcing him to speak, "S-sorry, I didn't mean it."

He wanted to cover his mouth, but before he could, she spoke, "N-no, it's alright..!"

Navy blue eyes meet sea-green, once _again_. But this time, they were close, _too_ close. Miku's hands were trembling, but she shook it off. She has to gain courage to make a conversation. "M-miku."

It seemed _dumb_, but she has to. She reached her _shaking_ hand to him. "Miku Hatsune,"

The taller one just looked at her little, pale hand. He didn't know whether or not to touch it. Then the blonde looked at the girl Miku- two, big, aquamarine orbs glowed up at him. Eager. Excited.

The heat in his chest grew… hotter, an annoying noise echoed as it did. It was like… a time bomb. Hot and ticking, as if it were waiting to explode. He averted his eyes from her gaze. He might have to stop that _fervent_ look on her face.

"Kagamine Len," Surprisingly; his right hand was out of his pocket, saying, "J-just Len."

_Eeeeep_! Miku wanted to scream. She didn't expect him to shake back..! Electricity rushed inside of her, from her hand throughout her entire body- including the tips of her knee-long teal pigtails. She swore she could die right now.

The bigger hand was _holding _the smaller one. His hand was _touching_ hers..! Her trembling hand was _shaking_ his! She was just glad the light was rather dim, nobody could see how _pathetic_ her reaction was..!

The cafeteria lady rested her palm on her chin, watching the two. _How sweet!_ She could see the little twin-tailed was trembling from top to bottom. The blonde-in-the- bun was covering his blush with his other hand. She turned around and opened the fridge.

"Ahem..!" The brunette lady pretends to cough. She didn't want to end it, but they couldn't just stand there, holding each other's hands forever.

Miku sheepishly returned her hand. That was embarrassing..! So the lady was looking at them after all?

Len's hands were on his pocket once more, not giving a second look at the small teal. Strangely though, he wanted to hold it much longer. He shook that thought. And then he fixed his attention to the lady he was talking to.

"Drinks?" She handed them two red cans, a smile never leaving her face.

qooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooop

"So," The blonde girl sat next to Piko, her eyes uncertain. "She snuck in the school yesterday, slipped the letter in my- in _our_ locker..?"

The silver-headed pale boy rested his head against the wall. He wasn't used to this talkative, quirky gal's presence. "Yes,"

The blonde girl blinked twice- four times, in a second, before responding a small 'oh'. But that wasn't enough to fill her curiosity. "And that letter was written by you..?"

"N-no! Wasn't I _that_ clear? She sent the letter in order for him to go here!" His sarcastic, nasal voice echoed in the open space. That was the longest- and _fastest_-sentence he spoke to her. Quite a record for him.

"Oh, so she wrote it… for me?"

"No! The letter was meant for you brother," Piko raised his hands in front of Rin, he wanted to _squish_ her so badly. Why can't she get it right? Why does he always have to _be_ with… _these_ types of girls?

She stared at him, blankly. And then Piko said, "You _do_ share your locker with your twin brother, right?"

"Oh! Okay okay okay! I get it!" She said for the tenth time of this day. "So, she sent a letter to Len, and…" The blonde paused. "…Why did she send it again..?"

"Oh for crying out loud! You know what- **arrrghh**! " The _poor_ Piko stood up on his feet, his hands scratching his head. This girl could talk fast but she couldn't get anything slow..? _What the heck?_

He stopped his nagging. He hasn't been _angry_ to someone before. He wasn't angry, right..? Maybe just…irritated. He sighed deeply before answering, "It's because… my best friend likes your twin brother."

He looked down at Rin, who was still sitting on the floor. Her eyes were on him, and then her head cocked to her right, almost reaching her shoulder. So… somebody actually liked her brother? Her brother who's been rude..? She opened her mouth and said, "…How?"

Piko stared off the distance. "I dunno."

Rin brainstormed. This… best friend of his, haven't met Len before. Nor had she met her. Rin's forehead eased. Then the only reason that would happen is… "…love at first sight, huh?"

Piko looked back at her, slowly, "That's… possible." Then he thought about it. It… _is_ possible. Miku did talk about them looking past each other while _stabbing_ Piko with her briefcase…. Why are they even discussing this..? They sound like a drama series that he and Miku never liked..!

"She might have a chance!" Rin shoved her hands on his shoulders. Piko rubbed them off, "S-stop it..!"

The blonde ignored his complaint. "My brother might like her!"

Rin grinned to herself. If they like each other… there might be a possibility that Len might get back to his younger self!

She thought of what she said. No, it's nothing like time travel. It's just that he would be that same hopeful self of his and she… she couldn't hear his paranoid words..! That means… she wouldn't be a crybaby anymore. That plan might work, she thought.

Piko looked at her as if she was crazy. "What if he doesn't?" The weird-cow-licked-silver-haired-boy checked if Rin was still alive.

She was just staring at him without blinking. He thought whether if he could escape the rooftop or jump off the building. That reminds him. The lunch bell was taking so long-

Two tiny hands were waving in front of him. "Hello..? Earth to…" Rin stopped waving her hands in front of a star-stricken boy. "Funny. I didn't even know your name."

The silver-headed boy went back to reality, his eyes flashing. "I'm sorry what?"

"I was asking what your name is,"

Piko furrowed his frosty brown eyebrows, finally back to reality. And then he answered, "Piko."

"Okay, Piko," She regained her excitement. "How about… we'll set them up?"

qooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooop

"I'm sorry, I didn't get that," Miku brushed the short fringes out of her field of vision. She stared at the _two_ soda cans. Oh. "Wait, I only paid for one-"

"Don't worry, it's for the both of you," The lady with short brown hair handed them a silver can opener, hiding a smile. "Now, enjoy before the first bell rings."

"No, I'll take it right now." Like he said, the blonde boy took the soda can, and then started to walk, leaving an unsatisfied Miku. Then he paused and went back to the store. He forgot to hand out the janitor's errand.

"Uh, the janitor with blue hair wanted to give this to you," He carefully placed the bracelet on the marble counter. "He said that he found this near room B-2."

The lady took a keen look at it, "That's kind of him. Bring him my thanks." And then she _refused_. "This might belong to someone else, considering that he just found it."

Miku took a peek at what the lady was holding. It was familiar… isn't that, her dangle? Probably just a copy. Wait, the janitor found it? Near Len's room..? She thought. She wasn't sure where she placed hers… That might be…

Len nodded and was about to walk to the hallway when he heard Miku say;

"May I take a look?" Miku picked it up and examined it. Len decided to eavesdrop, without taking a look at them.

Colored pearls from a distant land. That's it..! That was hers. "I… I must've left it there while slipping the letter…"

The blonde listener could barely hear the last part, but he knew he heard it right. His blue eyes widened. It… it belonged to her..?

**Ring! Ring Ring Ring Ring!**

"Oh, I might've jinxed it!" The lady placed her hand on her lips. "Hoho! Too bad…"

"Hihi, that's alright." Miku held the bracelet close to her chest, and then kissed it, without even knowing who found it for her. "At least I found what I never thought was lost."

The lady smiled, thinking a different meaning to what the teal said. She wished they would have a happy ending.

Miku noticed the blonde, who was just standing there, his rear facing them. "Oh, Len..! Nice to meet you, though!"

He was startled, he never thought she could still see him. She… she was the one who sent it..? But, why..? He didn't know what to say to her, or how to react. But he continued to walk towards the hallway, leaving a dazed Hatsune Miku following the crowd.

Things may or may not end what they thought it would.

Story Note: 'One problem fixed, another one formed…'

_Finally. I finished it..!_

_ I made this chapter EXTRA long for you guys..! (I haven't checked the net 'till now, hehe) Plus, school's coming next week… (Summer's different in our country)_

_I got SO fired up, I made it longer (longer than I thought, though) So, Thanks __**nekopyon**__, __**KawaiiChocolatierChan**__, __**tacypoc**__ and Anon __**NekoNya**__!_

_**.! Please don't forget to support LENXMIKU! ;D !**_


	3. Three: Setting Priority Level

Three: **S**etting **P**riority **L**evel

The sky was pitch-black, however it wasn't moonless. The bright crescent moon glowed in the darkness; clusters of stars scattered near it, like powdered glitters. The streets were silent; houselights turned off. Every living being were asleep… except for one.

There, at the humble home of the Kagamine's, was a teenage boy glaring outside of a square window; despite he was lying on his bed.

Len Kagamine rolled across the other side of his bed, his gray blanket slipping down to the cold floor. He could _not_ sleep. Their house was silent… but his room was not. No, he meant _their_ room.

Again, they shared everything. But he knew he couldn't complain that to his foster parents. Across the corner of the small compartment, was a _snoring_ blonde girl.

Len shifted his position. This was just part of his lullaby. He was already used to this.

Len usually couldn't sleep easily… not because the loud snoring contest on the other side. He always looks at the wall before he slumbers. In other words, he was sulking. But this time, it was different. He wasn't just moping.

He placed a hand behind his pillow to support his drowsy and heavy skull, about to close his eyes, when suddenly he heard something.

**_'Hi..!"_**

The sound echoed across his bedroom, or at least in Len's head.

**'****_I'm Miku!'_**

It was that voice. It was _her_ voice. Why was he hearing such _irritating _vocal sound? Just all of a sudden? It made him ponder. It was forcing him to listen- to even _think_. He cannot even do that now, judging by his _snoopy_ condition.

_'Miku Hatsune'_

_ 'Oh, you don't have to apologize…'_

_ 'M-miku…'_

Len covered his ears- with the ends of his _pillow. _That would be a bit _imprudent_ since it all came from his head. He felt like yelling his head off.

…His forehead calmed. Somehow, the echoing voice stopped. It looks like covering one's ears _does_ work.

The irritated Len stuffed his pillow and placed it back to its original position. He wants to lie down on his glorious soft bed.

His eyelids covered his tired, strained blue eyes. Nightmare or not, he just wants to sleep.

Little spots of cyan were at the corner of his vision. Then it huddled in the middle, forming two elongated group of …. Teal strands -_Ah! _He immediately opened his eyes.

Len moved to his left side. The window was open, yet it felt hot. The moon was up high, smiling down at him as the stars winked.

_What the heck? _He rolled to the middle, facing the gray ceiling. He placed his palm on his chest. _Thump. Thump._ He felt it again…! That… bomb. It felt so familiar.

His hand rose from his chest, to his head, scratching his blonde hair. First, he kept hearing _her_ voice, a voice who belonged to a girl whom he just met hours ago. Then, that unusual girl with _teal _hair just magically appeared in his dreams? Why cannot he just forget her?

Then he thought of what he does before going to sleep. He usually thinks whenever he goes to sleep. However, what will he think? A flash of teal was the first thing that popped out of his mind. Maybe if he thought about it, about _her_… It _will_ go away. Just like a riddle.

He thought of her twin teal tails and her large aquamarine eyes, he forgot his attempt to sleep. Her eyes… eyes that make him stare at it for a long period. _Thump. Thump._ Why was this feeling _so_ familiar? Len shrugged that thought away. Miku doesn't appear in his dreams earlier… before they met. However, how _did_ they meet…? Not that he thought of that, so many things had happened on that day. He has to think of something else.

…Perhaps he _could_ rewind all the events that happened on that day.

He met Miku in the cafeteria- Len shook his head. He might as well skip that part.

Len recalled bumping into a janitor, who gave him a wire of joint up red corals. How did he find the janitor? …Len remembered walking to the guardhouse and asking for some clues. _Clues…_ Clues…? For what? He turned to his back. Rin was still snoring. _Right_. A letter. Rin received a letter.

_A letter… _

His vision suddenly turned black as a picture of a _scroll_ flashed. Len felt a prickling sensation on his throat. It was bitter. He shrugged it off and continued to figure things out.

_A letter from whom?_ He wondered. Then his eyes began to droop- no, he has to stay awake. Contrary to what he said earlier, he realized thinking about the latter even made him _want_ to stay awake. However, to Len, it doesn't matter anymore. He has to recall 'clues'.

Len rolled to the other side of his bed, his head lying on his palm as his elbow rested on his pillow.

Rin was jumping up and down telling him that she has an admirer near the locker corridors. Then she told him she went to the rooftop by the time she went home. …Something stung inside his chest as he remembered the reason for everything.

His twin sister received a letter by an _anonymous_ person whom nobody else knew, who even asked to meet-up with her?

His eyes blacked out for a second. He heard whispers, coming out from who knows where. It stings. The sting… it _also_ felt familiar.

. Why was he feeling things that were so familiar? Why was he feeling this just now…? Why does it feel familiar whenever he sees _her_? He wants to know- "**_WHY!"_**

Len unconsciously shouted. It was loud, but not loud enough for neither his neighbors nor his foster parents to hear, hopefully. His head ached the second after he did, his hands massaging his temples.

"_Why_ are you crying, little orange?"

He did not expect an echo- or just a sound. Len turned to his back- Rin. '_She's here?' _Len thought. He ought he saw her on their foster parent's room. Then again, they shared everything- no comments on that.

…_'Rin's __**still**__ here?' _He repeated his question. Len froze. '_If she went to the rooftop already, why's she still here; sleeping without a worry…?'_

He was sure there was something wrong with that letter. He did not understand… He must think of it one more time… Man, does he forget easily? He has to write it down.

Len lazily stood up, heading to the corner of their room. A dark wooden table stood there. He sat and got a pencil and—frog. He doesn't have anything to write on.

He mounted up and went to the other corner. There was a light-colored wooden table there. For once, there study tables were the first thing that Rin and he didn't share.

His hands searched for anything light and thin- crisp. It was a small piece of paper.

Len jolted to his own table and sat down. The moonlight lighted the paper as he wrote the different events. However, it was not bright enough for Len to notice what paper he was writing on.

Then he gave out a yawn. His droopy eyes scanned the notes as the dim moonlight gave light to it. He has to figure this out, before his lids get heavy. Heavier.

**'****_Rin received a letter near the lockers.'_**Len thought, trying to connect all the events._**'And near the lockers, was a red dangle, which was found by the janitor I ran up to…' **_

Len gave out another yawn. He was getting drowsy.

He furrowed his brows. He recalled asking almost every one of whom it belongs to. In the end, he gave it to the lunch woman, as the janitor instructed if he did not find the owner. Yet the cafeteria lady refused since it wasn't hers…

…Len sat up from his position, eyes _trying_ to widen. Suddenly he remembered all the reason why it happened. All that letter receiving, the bracelet's owner, the reason why Rin's still sleeping, alive… His perception was correct, after all. Yet he was avoiding it. He knew he thought it was suspicious.

Len yawned, leaning down unto the scrap of paper on the desk. It was preposterous. Actually, he thanked that they met. **NOT**. Why would she do such thing? What does she **want**—?

Len found himself yawning in a couple of seconds. Suddenly, a shadow was covering the words… then the paper … and then everything else. . .

It went _warm_ all of a sudden. Then it went hot. Hotter. Len Kagamine rolled towards his left and then-

"**Gah!**"

-he fell. Face-first. He sat up beside the toppled wooden chair. His hand furiously ran through his messy blonde hair, massaging his aching cranium before looking up at the desk, then back at the chair.

He slept on his study… All night. Len figured. He fixed the chair back to its original position—and then bright yellow rays caught his eyes.

The sun was already up. High. Without further ado, Len ran to his small wooden cupboard, right next to his desk. He grabbed his white polo shirt and dark black slacks and dashed to the bathroom.

_'How dare that Rin, not waking me up…' _He thought while inserting his slacks.

Opening the bathroom door, Len got out, garbed yet messy. His dusty blonde hair was untied and his black pants was used and the collar of his bleached shirt.

He checked the gray wall clock— frog. It was _quarter to eleven._ Len doubted. He only slept at _midnight_ yet he woke up this late…?

Faster than the speed of light, Len rushed and picked up his backpack, hanging it on one of his shoulders.

His hands reached out to the doorknob, which door led to the stairway. His pace stopped, suddenly remembering that there was something missing on his daily attire.

Headphones.

Len hurried to his desk, where he last saw it. His keen, blue eyes scanned the desk as his hands searched for the metallic headsets… dust, a ballpoint pen, other pens, a paper that he knew he used last night, more dust… There was no sign of his treasured headphones.

Frustrated, he slammed both of his hands on the desk, a thin paper flung with the air. The paper slowly danced until it reached the wooden floor, yellow rays shined lighted it. It was his scratch paper. The reason he over-slept.

Len walked over it- rather stepping on it. His gaze affixed on the wall clock- between 11:05 and 11:10.

Realizing the time, he immediately placed his backpack on the wooden chair, and then his hands swiftly searched for the headphones. His hands withdrew from the bag, a small piece of cloth on his palms. It was his headset's casing.

Of course, nothing was in it. He clenched his palms, squeezing the cloth as though it was a stress ball. Then he felt something brittle, which came from inside the casing.

Len scooped it up and checked it. It was _another_ piece of paper. He would not put a note in his headphone's _casing_. Seriously, how many papers could he receive in a week? The question faded as his eyes widened. Curved letters, smileys… He would _never_ write anything like this.

_"Dumbest Brother,"_it read. Len rolled his eyes as one word formulated in his mind. Rin.

_"You slept late last night didn't 'ccha? Missing something? :P I figured to get revenge or something cool like that. You messed up with my stuff, and you were sleeping ON my… " assignment"._

_Your headphones are in my hands, brother. And I'm about to let it fall down from the __**top.**__ Oops! I ACCIDENTALLY wrote a clue._

_P. S.: By the time you read this, you already realized that you drooled on you own desk. If you didn't, well, you're dumb."_

Len stopped reading, his brows furrowing as he tore the paper apart, producing a sharp ripping sound. He could not believe his sister would do that- with such an _unnecessary_ reason.

His eyes lit up- with a fiery rage. Was that a… prank? Then he ripped the half. Then ripped the half's _half._ . He wouldn't care. He had to go up there- prank or not. He knew that his precious 'phones would break in a million atomic pieces… His eyes sparked. Then he thought. The only thing blasting off in pieces will be Rin's face- if he would hurry up.

His gaze looked up on the wall clock- 12, the time for lunch. Len threw the shredded pieces of paper in the bin near his desk. He grabbed his bag and dashed out of his room.

He did not know he was up for an ultimate _dejavu _sequence.

qooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooop

Len, now panting, dashed up to the high stairs. Students he passed by jolted back at his speed. He was _still_ running up to the second level. His chin-long blonde hair was rushing to the wind, free and untied. Rin was surely going to pay for this. The reason for stealing his headphones? Nothing. His twin sister really was insane.

Len jogged to the corner, meeting another set of stairs. First, he couldn't sleep all night and now **this**. Why are these things happening to him…? He could probably sue Rin for blackmail, larceny, and abuse.

Third level. He was now walking at a constant **5 km** speed. His eyes were drooping. He couldn't sleep last night. Of course, it was because of _his sister_ who received a letter from an anonymous stranger.

Len stepped on the fourth floor. He was currently dragging his feet up. He turned to the corner, a 5-step stairs was in front of him. His hand grabbed the railings, pulling his physique up. Lastly, he has to meet a freakishly exotic being with teal strands as her hair.

She was the very reason why Rin received the letter- he had no idea why- but he sensed familiar thumps… He forgot about that. He has to… inquire her after he get his headphones out of harm's-well, Rin's way.

His hands pushed the doorway leading out to the rooftop. Intense bright lights met his blue eyes, yet his eyelids did not move. His eyes were wide open.

Not much people—no, **nobody** go up to the abandoned rooftop. There, at the rooftop terrace, wasn't just his insane sister… There were **three** people. A silver-headed boy, his classmate, as he'd recognize. Near him was his sister- it wasn't surprising, that insane twin of his led him there.

But what did shock him was that his headphones, the only thing why he was here, was in the hands of the twin-teal-tailed girl. His chest thumped the moment he saw her. She, she was the reason why his sister received the letter, why he could not sleep which led to **this**.

Len didn't took a step forward from the doorway. All his rage and fury froze into complete confusion. He could not astray himself from saying these words…

"…**What** the…?"

The silver-headed boy crossed his arms, Len saw him sighing. His sister Rin turned from the distance and faced the baffled Len. Her eyebrows raised in an impossible angle as she shouted, "MYGOSHLEN! You're **here**!"

Len gave a skeptical look at her. Rin came rushing towards his direction. She stood in front of him and mumbled, "Gosh, I thought you wouldn't be here if I **just** wrote a note, so I stole it from you,"

Len just froze at that moment. She just stole his headphones just because she wanted him to be at the rooftop... Len felt lost.

"Rin, what the heck is going on here?"

His twin looked at him, taken aback. "You didn't know?" She chuckled before repeating her question, "Y-you didn't k-know?"

Then she burst into laughter, turning to the other two students behind her. The silver-headed student just stared at her, while the teal freak faced her back at her. Len felt his eyebrows slanting inward- his forehead creasing. _What were they talking about?_

Rin faced Len, a bit more serious this time. Then she examined her brother's face.

'_What's she doing?' _Len thought. Her eyes narrowed at his, walking around her brother as if she was inspecting a lying mass murderer.

…Len became much more confused—irritated, to tell the truth. "Rin, what the **heck** are you doing-"

"Oh my **gosh**!" Rin made a shocked expression and inhaling a gasp, ignoring Len's question before she stepped back, pointing at her brother. "You really don't have **any** idea at all, don't you?"

Len felt his eyebrow twitch. This was getting annoying for him. "Idea**?** Rin, what are you _talking_ about? I am only here for my headphones**-**-"

"Oh for crying out loud, how _dense_ can you be?" The silver-head walked in the conversation. He grabbed Miku's arm, dragging her to their conversation. "Now **go**…!

Before Len could notice, she was already in front of him. As he saw her in front of him, it was as if the whole universe went silent. Just all of a sudden.

Len felt his entire body prickled like electricity, heating up. He couldn't understand why, they were under the roof weren't they?

He clenched his fists under his pockets. He wanted to turn his back away and leave the building. However, they were **2** feet from each other- enough for a blind man to see deep emotions… enough to hear themselves breathing out of the soundless moment.

…Rin broke the silence between them. "Len, you see, we, er- Piko and I, planned for you guys to meet up since we met…"

Len was not listening to his sister as she continued talking nonsense. His gaze stuck on the petite girl in front of him… She wasn't looking at him.

Her eyes were at her hands, which were fiddling the wire cord of the white metal structure. Len knew it belonged to him. Then his gaze went from her hands, to her face—_damn_! He quickly averted. She was now looking at him. That boiling… exploding… _familiar_ sensation was there again.

"…Len!"

Len quickly drew his attention to the conversation. He looked from right to left. Rin was still talking; the so-called Piko was listening to her. Miku, on the other hand. she was still toying with his headphones.

...Then, what did he hear just now…? Did he just… imagine it?

He looked back to them; Rin and Piko were looking at him intently. They were waiting for a reply. He gave them back a puzzled look, saying, "What?"

"Well, you should listen to her." Piko arched an eyebrow. Rin clasped her hands tightly, squealing all about. Len glared at the two, demanding he would make a laser beam… But most of all, he wanted to know what was going on…

…Until he felt a small, light tap on his shoulder. "L-len,"

He faced to his front; sea-green eyes welcomed his navy blue eyes. _Thump_!

Len avoided her gaze, looking down the floor. _Thump!_ It wasn't enough. He wanted to escape- run away from her forever. It was haunting him… that feeling.

Suddenly, visions enveloped the gray, cemented floor. Visions of a… tall building, wherein a wave of people where running away from it. He heard panting, screaming, yelping, wailing, crying… such sound of sorrow. As to what he saw, he, too, was running away from the building…

Then hands came in front of him, a white, metal structure on it.

"Uh, here, it's your headphones…"

Everything went back in place. The teal-haired girl was in front of him. Automatically and unconsciously, his hands reached for his belonging—_thump_! Len withdrew his headphones quickly, drawing it near his chest. That… touch.

Len closed his eyes, his hand twitching. He recalled soft, big warm hands enveloping his small hand. It was soothing, despite the disaster that was happening.

He opened his eyes, seeing the reality of a girl _talking_ face to face with him. He could only hear some words that she spoke.

**"Len, I uh… uhm… when-whenever I…"**

Len noticed Miku was stuttering. Strangely, he doesn't usually address her by her name. However, as he saw her, he remembered every single crazy random situation that fits—because of _her_.

**"Len, whenever I… whenever I s-see you…" **Miku kept uttering words one could hardly understand. Yet Len didn't understand- he wouldn't. In fact, he wasn't listening at all.

He was in deep thought. _All of those events; from the letter that she sent, down to their stupid meeting… _In all ways, he felt the same thing that lingers around his mind.

**"…I feel fuzzy and frizzy and-"**

_All those situations… it fit. Like a jigsaw puzzle. It fits because…_

**"-warm and… well, it's because I…"**

_The girl, who sent the suspicious letter, the one whom he felt familiar sensations with… she __**planned**__ it. _Len's eyes widened, his entire body heating up…

**"It's because I-"**

"-because you planned it." Len found himself stating his thoughts. His face was blank, emotionless. Everything went silent once more. The attention of the three turned to him, showing an utter shocked response.

Len just realized something. How could he be so… _unsure _before…? All that time, those suspicious events happened with a _reason_. His entire body was heating up-But this time, _out of rage_.

"You planned **everything**."

He felt his forehead creasing. All that letter-sending, bracelet dropping, accidental-meeting… Even this late incoming and headphone-stealing… all of it was just part of a plan.

"You **planned** everything."

Len thought about that one more time, his knuckle cracking as he clenched his fist. The tension heated. He fixed his eyes at one object- a person, rather. Then at the corner of his eye, he saw Rin stepping back, with Piko by her side, observing his every move.

Again, he wouldn't care. He just figured out that he was just _running_ in circles through different grounds- in control of a _little girl_. He took a step nearer, pointing his index finger at her, who was trembling, paralyzed, from head to toe.

"**You** planned everything-"

"So she _did_ plan it, so what?" Piko came closer to them. "Hu-"

"Yeah, but I just couldn't believe she just made fun of me," Len interrupted him. He couldn't believe that all this time, this girl just wanted to see him suffer. He lacked sleep, he kept on remembering the forgotten… whenever he sees her. Now she made it worse. He turned to the girl in front of him.

"Why the heck are you **doing** this?" Len argued, his hands twitching. "What do you **want**?"

They were at the heat of the moment. Rin was speechless at one corner. Miku's eyes were fixed on the floor, emotion unreadable. Piko, on the other hand, jaw-dropped before saying; "Made fun of you?"

The silver-headed boy went between Len and Miku. "Look, I don't know what's wrong with you, but all she wants to say is—"

"A-all this time…"

Their attention drew to the little frightened girl, who mumbled her words under her collar, "… I just want you to know that…"

Len's fury melted as Miku lifted her head up, revealing her devastated face. _Thump! _He thought he already told her to stop; he wanted to ruin, to crush that feeling…. But why couldn't he…?

Their eyes met. Moreover, at that very moment, the bell rang. Len did not mind, he focused on what she was saying.

Miku was talking across the open field, as soft and airy as an angel's whisper, yet Len could hear it as clear as a crystal.

"I wondered if you felt that fuzzy feeling too."

Len felt that it struck him. _Feeling?_ How did she know he felt something…? All he knew it was not fuzzy… Was it? He… he did not know. He became much unsure… He never knew how that sensation felt… how it struck him.

Sea green clashed with ocean-blue one last time... Then Miku averted her gaze then walked up to the exit. He turned to his sister, who froze at the edge, standing against the metal railing. Then he saw Piko just standing, who had an indescribable emotion on his face. Nobody was stopping her. How come nobody was stopping her?

He wanted to feel that thump a little bit longer, he wanted to describe how it felt. He wanted to know… what connection it has in his past. Yet instead of feeling the _thump_, the exploding sensation… it felt the most bitter of things collided in just a second… What could he possibly do?

…Len wanted to get close. He wasn't sure how, yet his feet acted before he thought about it. Everything went in slow motion. He got closer and closer to her, inch by inch.

Just then, when Len was still a meter away, she stopped before entering the doorway. "I thought I could… make you smi-"

Len stopped his pace as well, hoping that she would turn around… However, she did not. Instead, she spoke another set of few words.

"I guess I was wrong."

With that, she left the rooftop. Len just stood there, confused. Abruptly, he lifted his hands upon his chest. He felt a familiar sensation, yet it wasn't the same feeling he felt when he saw her. That bitter feeling… it irritates him. It frustratingly makes him want to turn away and-

"Leave!" He spoke that aloud. His voice echoed throughout the entire building. Len twisted his head, looking around the rooftop…and to the two students whose eyes fixed on him.

Rin... she had a shocked expression… and… Piko. His… his face was blank. This… it made him feel… bitter. What did he do wrong? He just told the truth that she was making him remember…!

…That only made things worse.

"Dammit! I'm out of here!"

Len left his sister and the silver-head at the rooftop. He felt like blowing up. He dashed through the stairs and out of the building, leaving the two disappointed students who planned their meet-up.

They didn't know it would turn worse.

He doesn't feel like going to school despite the bell rang. He didn't wish to break the rules—nor break his foster parent's heart…

Len got out of the school grounds and ran into their near village. As he walked past the school gates, he felt water drops. The sky became dark and gray. He didn't care… He just wanted to run away… in order to wash that bitterness go…

The bitter taste of his past was lingering at the center of his tongue. His chest felt as if it was melting, his body was numb. It made him angry. It made him scream it all out. Then his vision went black. In every black spot, he recalled every little detail of his past.

Len turned to the corner of the street. He wanted to go home and hide without a reason.

_He recalled laughs and giggles echoing elsewhere. Then there was a picture of his sister was beaming a smile, with not a worry. He remembered how his cheeks ache from all that grinning and laughing. There was only one adult, whom he recalled he called mother, who really does not have any resemblance to them. _

_There were… other kids, too, as he could remember. But that was the time he thought it would last forever._

_ One day came a man, holding a little paper letter. It made their 'mother' sad, angry, or whatsoever. The next day, he heard ticking noises. Their guardian ran grabbed the both of them … that touch. It really did make him happy despite they were running away from the building… running away from everything. It made him angry. He felt guilty for not stopping that stranger._

Guilt, it was sorrowful, regretful and… bitter. Bitter as he was feeling right now…

…He felt guilt.

…Guilt… guilt for _what_…?

* * *

_Note: Happy LenxMiku Festival! (Let's forever support them!)_

_ Was that today? I guess it's today. July 8, right? Yeah, I plan to upload it on this date. And I thank you for reading this and to all those who brushed this up, though. I hope you guys understood it…! And now… I thank you for expressing what you feel about this story or my writing—I hope I improved, though._

_As my thanks and apology for uploading a month later, I have uploaded not just one, but __**two**__ chapters! XD_

_Oh! The Setting Priority Level title was actually from a review, so thanks for that opinion! I also saw that other SPL meaning in a Youtube comment before._

_Anyhooooo, hope you liked it! :D_


	4. Four: Still the Past Lingers

Four: **S**till the **P**ast **L**ingers…

The sun is high up in the sky. The clouds were moving, as if it were shining. The breeze was humid—and dry at the same time… as happy as one can be. The wind… it was strong… but… But why was it moaning?

Miku Hatsune stared through her room's windowsill. Ever wondering… or regretting. She… she just couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe what had happened earlier at lunch…

_All went silent. It was as if they were the only ones living in the whole world. Their eyes met… and she swore she felt sparks flew… She wanted to tell him how she feels… why she feels that way… by first knowing if he felt it too…_

_She told him that she felt warm and fuzzy… whenever she sees him. How something… explodes from inside of her chest. How it… beats faster and harder than any drum can do…_

_…what she felt ever since she saw him._

_The moment was perfect—flawless, even. Yet… he didn't respond._

And now… it was the first day of Summer… and the last day of their schooldays. Wouldn't she be happy? She would have been. However… ending the schooldays with a huff, that would last for a lifetime especially if that started with 11 months of 'stalking'.

…or she had gain a little… _feeling_ for… **him**.

But still… she wondered. She wondered why—she wondered why she felt warm feelings whenever she sees _him_.

_Him_, Len Kagamine, the most 'emo' person of the century. She felt _warmth_ on his _cold_ eyes. Was that right? How could she be so… blind?

Her best friend already warned her about it… Yet… she… she even let them _plan_ for their meeting—at the _last_ day of school. Miku felt as if she stole a candy from a baby. How selfish of her… If only she could change everything—she should've thought about their-

"Hatsune!"

Miku stood up-straight- as an unthinking reaction. All her other classmates laughed as she did. She bit her lip, hearing her teacher scold her— for the third time of that very day.

"Miku…" She heard her teacher say, a bit more softly than before. "You weren't like this before…"

Miku looked at the floorings as her teacher continued to speak, "You were focused, attentive, alert…"

Her thoughts drifted away. She… she just couldn't believe what had happened. No, It wasn't as if she expected for him to feel the same. Of course, it was all right for her to know that he didnot feel the same… but… She felt… not quite as planned.

"Miku? Miku?" Miku heard this as she saw hands waving in front of her, her magenta locks flowed with her movements. Her teacher was now standing in front of the little teal, focusing at her. "Is there something wrong?"

Miku was just looking at the floor… She wasn't feeling good. She didn't even know what's wrong with her… But all she knew was that she didn't feel like answering surveys or questions and whatnot… She needs privacy... And one place popped on her mind.

"I…I would like to go to the lavatory."

"The lavatory…?" The teacher showed a rather… dissuaded reaction, saying it aloud. The room filled with high-volume speakers of echoing laughter.

"At the toilet…?" She whispered, repeating it once more. Miku nodded _slowly_ in response. The teacher copied her actions, putting her bangs away from her face.

Miku ran across the room and out to the door— and then she stopped dead on her tracks. She spun and bowed at her class, saying "Thank you."

Then she walked out of the room. The hallways were quiet. The wind blew softly, the clouds never leaving its spot on the clear blue sky and the sun's ray has stuck the steel roof—she turned away. It was blinding her… In this case, it was double blinding her. She was blind in the first place, wasn't she?

She turned around corners, her heels stepping on the wooden floorings. She was so blind, she even mistook warmth from cold. Wait, was that supposed to be… having a disordered skin? Warmth is a sensation right? How come it struck her inside, not outside?

Then her pace stopped.

Maybe her teacher was right. …Miku had to focus on where she was heading rather than what she felt ages ago. … She had no idea where she was. She was lost in her own school—the school she has been for more than 4 years already.

She turned around—oh, there it is. At the end of the hall, was the universal sign of the restroom. Finally.

Miku pushed the door open. The room was quite large—big enough for four cubicles and a horizontally rectangular mirror with four faucets beneath it. One cubicle was locked. She stared through the mirror and washed her hands. Now that she is there…

…what will she do again?

Miku stared at her reflection for a while. Her eyes crinkled a bit. She looked from left to right and noticed the counter. The basin was made out of marble—but she can't help but notice a soda can was at the end of the marble counter. It…it gave her goose bumps. It made her remember.

They bought a soda together. And… then they met there. She remembered how electricity _shocked_ her entire body once their hands touched. She placed a hand against her chest. Remembering that felt… so fuzzy.

Then she clenched her fist. It was a shame he didn't say anything about what she said. He just… insulted her. That… that was just mean. She felt as if she swallowed gallons of toxic.

She felt her eyes stingy. She… she wanted to...

"Sniff… sniff…"

Miku found herself shocked. She touched her face—it wasn't wet. Dry tears, she supposed. But… she swore she heard sniffing from behind her. Is it possible to hear one's self crying from afar?

"Sniff… sniff…"

She looked at the mirror—nobody was behind her. Miku's heartbeat stopped. She was sure it came from behind her. What was happening? She slowly spun around as her hands covered her eyes… perhaps she is not the one in the bathroom… is she?

"A-anyone here?"

**BAM!**

The last cubicle flung open. Miku's fingers hysterically searched for anything to grip on. She just stood there, her grip still tight on the marble counter.

"M-miku…?"

That was familiar. Miku's fright eased as she saw the figure. Blue eyes…. Spiky blonde hair pinned with… well, hairpins. It was Rin. The terrified little girl placed a hand on her forehead before looking at the blonde girl. She just felt… reassured knowing it was just a person.

"I didn't notice you coming in… Why're you here?" The little Blondie walked forward and faced the relieved Miku. She seemed shocked as well.

Miku stood up straight, not answering Rin's question. She could've said the same to her as well. It was weird seeing her here… to the fact that she looked exactly like Len. That name. She was never going to get use of saying—even _thinking_ that name.

She stroked her one of her teal tails. She knew she could get over it. Miku sighed, leaning against the counter. Rin does have a point, but she knew that… she doesn't have to regret since it already happen…

Her thoughts were interrupted as she felt an extra weight on the counter. She looked to her left and saw Rin sighing, now on the same position as hers.

"I'm sorry for my brother's behavior earlier," she said.

"No, that's alright, I-I don't really mind, though," Miku lied. Actually… it was a big loss… But she just wanted to suffer the intoxicated pain inside…

Rin shrugged, then rubbed her eyes. That reminded Miku… was she the one crying…? Judging from sore eyes... A question automatically formed as she realized something.

"Were you… crying?"

The blonde didn't respond. She just scanned her nails.

…She regretted saying that. Curiosity really was killing her, from asking if Len felt it too down to asking Rin in her privacy. Wait, that seemed… wrong. She covered her mouth with both hands. "Oh, I'm sorry if it's personal or anything… it's just…"

Rin was _still_ scanning her nails. Then she adjusted her blouse and began to say something. "You know… I've got something to share to you."

Miku nodded, listening intently… yet she still wondered why she cried… Alone. At the comfort room. Locked in the _last_ cubicle.

"You see…Do you ever wonder why we share the same stuff?" Rin began. "I mean, how Len and I always have things in common—lockers, desks, heck, even our room."

Miku nearly jaw-dropped. She never really imagined having a twin whom you shared anything with. Well, she and her big brother Mikuo never really share things because of age gap and no such common interest—but, sharing everything and anything was kind of… hardcore.

"Yes, that's true," She said, nodding repeatedly. "But even so, I never complain," Rin added, with matching hand gestures. "They're my foster parents… at least I have though."

Miku looked down. Foster parents. Rin noticed her mood changed. "…My—I mean, _our_ life isn't just that."

Miku turned and faced her as she continued her story. Rin… she looked a bit down herself, too. Before she knew it, a drop of crystal water fell into Rin's hands. She was about to ask if she was all right, but Rin showed her hand in front of her.

"I'm sorry, it's just that I'm… sensitive." She waved her hand, trying her best to keep a sympathetic tone. "Sensitive… because of… "

Rin turned the faucet near her and washed her face. "The.. the things Len had said earlier... it made me remember…"

Miku felt sorry, one shouldn't keep up their limits. Then Rin continued, taking big breathes before saying,

"We… we were just little kids, we wouldn't understand... I never knew it would change me—change _us_ forever," She spoke.

Miku got drew to the topic. She leaned a bit closer to hear clearly. _Us, that meant her and Len._

"…All we thought about was just laughs and games..." she continued."…until then came a time when we weren't prepared for tears and agony… I… I couldn't really remember much. But all I know is that there was only one adult on that time."

Rin started to take whips. Miku didn't really understand, what does she mean by only one parent? Maybe they only had their mother or father with them and then they passed away… just like her parents… Then Rin clarified and said that they were _orphans _on the first place.

Silence came… No wonder she was here, she cried the whole first afternoon period. She, she remembered their past as… Orphans. She couldn't ask how she remembered but… No wonder Len was so cold… and Rin was—as she said so, 'sensitive'…

"Rin, don't worry," Miku said, trying to calm her down. "Past is past, though."

Rin nodded, wiping her face with her handkerchief. Past is past… she wanted to say that to herself. She… she should move on since… he… he didn't respond.

"So," Rin finally recovered, still taking deep breathes. "Do you know how it feels to have parents?" Rin stated. "You don't have to answer that if you don't want to, though."

Miku was about to nod—when she realized what she said. Parents? She… she couldn't believe that. That was a bit… too personal for what she asked whether she was crying or not. Parents… she… she never experienced that. Her father passed before she was born, as her brother, Mikuo said. And… her mother… she could recall her mother… she used to work and teach kindergarten pupils, as she could remember. They were… just simple, yet happy… but she passed since the building she worked in collapsed, as what Mikuo, again, has explained. Therefore…

"No, I don't know how that feels," Miku said. "That's why you're a bit much fortunate than I am… but…"

The teal girl hopped off from the counter and faced Rin. She lifted her left hand to Rin's face, indicating the red pearl bracelet dangling on her wrist. "But I never missed them—'cause I know they're up there, watching for me."

. This… this red bracelet was given to her by her mum. And she wouldn't want to lose it… yet she realized something as she left it once she sent the small paper letter. She held the bracelet close to her heart. "And I could feel their warmth every time, even if I'm not wearing this bracelet."

Rin had her eyes widened at her. But Miku didn't mind. She remembered the numerous songs that her mother used to sing.

_Sweet and sour and nice and bitter_

_They never really worked out_

_But once it all feels so right,_

_Just go with the flow, with the flow…_

It… it wasn't really much of a lullaby song like how other movies had. It was more of an… exercise song, the one she sings whenever she prepares for breakfast.

She felt the warmth surrounding her at that moment as she recalled that… It felt so fluffy and relaxing and all the other worries would melt down… Yet it was funny. As she described how that warmth felt… it… it has some similarities to the one she felt once she saw _him_.

She… she wondered why—no. She doesn't have to be curious all the time. She… musn't—since she has to learn from her mistakes. That is what past does, right? One needs to reflect the past… to correct the future.

This time, she has to leave all the unnecessary things behind, with the past. She… has to… right?

"That bracelet." Rin said, pointing towards Miku's wrist. "…it seemed familiar."

Miku removed the dangle and let Rin examine it. "How come it's familiar?"

Rin didn't respond. Why doesn't she answer the questions she asked? Rin was turning the bracelet around, then a smile crossed her lips. "This… I remember sweetness…"

Miku didn't hear that right. Rin spoke a bit… blurry and low. Then Miku heard humming… with a familiar tune.

_"Hmm ha hmm ha hmm hmm ha hmm, hm ha hm ha hmm hum,"_

Miku turned to Rin, with a shocked expression. Did she hear that right?

_"Hmm ha hmm ha hmm mm mm, ha, hmm ha himm, hmm ha him,"_

"How did you know that? Where did you hear that?" Miku asked, directly, with no other things on her mind. Miku felt… betrayed. It was hers and her mother's song, it described her past, her memory. It was only for her.

Rin handed the bracelet to Miku. "Thank you… I… I just remembered something… about the one who took care of us on the orphanage."

Orphanage? It was impossible that her mother could meet her… right? Perhaps they have the same bracelet, then.

"Why do you ask, Miku?" Rin said, cocking her head.

Then, before Miku could answer, the bell rang.

"Oh, nothing," she anwered, not minding the ringing. "It's just that my mother gave to me days before she passed away, before the building she worked collapsed."

Rin just stared at Miku. It… it was quite offending, really. She asked Rin why she was spaced out.

"Hmm? N-nothing…" She jumped off from the counter and dusted her skirt. "I… they just have some similarities, that's all…"

Miku washed her hands… Then she realized that she missed the whole subject at the lavatory…! To think about it… it was kind of… a coincidence that she met Rin, the sister of… Len.

She thought… No, she would get over him throughout the summer. She doesn't have to worry about that. It was the last day of school, of course. She was about to open the door, when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"Uhm, Miku?" Rin patted. "Remember the letter you sent on our locker?"

Miku nodded— they have same locker. After all this time planning, she never asked why that letter got to Rin's hands instead of Len's… She thought it was Piko's fault. They… they shared the same locker.

Miku asked that to Rin, wanting for clarifications. "Exactly, it was the reason why _I_ read it." Rin nodded and added, "…and, well, I saw that in Len's desk—just last night."

Miku's hands went from the marble to her mouth. He… did he… actually…? Was that the reason why… why he reacted that way?

She shrugged it away and said, "It's okay, past is past, right?"

'_Is that right…?'_

**(Len's Part)**

After the incident, after everything… The sun was high up in the sky… Yet…

…Len was still walking towards their home… recalling what had happened for the past hour. He saw their faces… Rin's, Piko's and even… _her_ face. All those other things... He didn't do anything wrong, did he?

All he did was tell the truth—she made him remember. Miku did. It made him exasperated, aggravated, frustrated… But at that moment, as he recalled what he remembered… he didn't feel anything at all… except for guilt.

But… guilt… guilt of what, exactly?

**Thud!**

He bumped into something hard. What is it with him and bumping with things…? He stepped back a little, realizing he bumped into a big, wooden door. He was already at his house.

He got in—his foster parents weren't there yet. He checked the wall clock; 1:42 pm. He climbed up the stairs, past into the little door, and entered his and his sister's room… he just wanted to flop into his bed. He… he felt so confused.

He dropped his bag unto the chair near his desk; and then it fell. Damn. He clearly wasn't in the mood for picking things up. He grudgingly went near it—frog. He pushed it under his desk. He kneeled down and reached for it—and then he heard a crisp. Instead of his bag, he chose to pick up a piece of paper. It was the paper he used for his scratch.

Then he figured it was folded. He unfolded it and saw words written in cursive writings… He examined it closely- it was Rin's letter. He actually wrote on her letter. Well, in this case, it was the letter that Miku sent. He… he didn't really knew why she sent that letter to his sister… Guess he could check why.

He was about to scan the letter then— At the very top was-_thump_! He stopped at the introduction. His eyes widened. It… it had his name on it…!

_'Dear Len, _It read.

_ 'I wanted to say that, well. See, I wrote the address first at the beginning of the paper. I… I just hope you read this before you go at the rooftop… And I hope you didn't throw this away.'_

Len stopped reading at that point. So, she… she actually... wrote this for… him. _Thump! _He… he felt it again.

The intrigued blonde got up from his position sat on the chair near his desk. He wanted to describe what he felt… He wanted to feel it one more time… to remember. In addition, he wanted to know why he feels it all the time. He adjusted the paper in his hand, and then continued reading.

'_You need to read this…. Well… because I would tell you that…_

_I have so many questions that I couldn't' tell you personally. There… there's so much to ask. I wanted to talk to you, go near you, meet you—but somehow I couldn't gain courage to do so. So, I planned to write you a letter, the least I could do.'_

Len sighed. Somehow, if he reads this and think that _she_ wrote this to him, he could hear her voice. It was as if he was listening to her. He was listening… to Miku. _Thump! _He felt it.

And then he figured it out. Whenever he thinks of her, he'll feel it… Len wondered. He… he has to describe it—to know why he feels it.

Len thought about her twin-teal-tails… Nothing. Why is that? Maybe he has to continue reading it.

_'It's not that I'm despite—well I guess I'm just curious… It's because… Somehow, I wanted to skip towards your direction—but my feet wouldn't obey. It feels… warm, whenever I see you. And then there's something inside me that… pops._

Len stopped. Warm? Warm… he thought. _Thump! _All he recalled was the hands that comforted him, back when he was young… He read it again. Popping? He… he didn't feel anything like that. It was more of a thumping, than of popping.

_And… Whenever I see you, my body felt like… exploding._

_Thud! _Exploding? He knew he felt that before. But… why? He continued reading.

_My point is… I wonder if you feel the same. Do you feel the same…?_

The question struck into his chest like a sheathed dagger. He… he _did_ felt it. Warm, exploding… He thought about it.. He thought about her teal locks _and_ turquoise eyes… _Thump!_

He… he felt it was familiar… As if, he saw it before. He… he remembered… those identical eyes staring down to him… he remembered… the hands that warmed him…

_"Len!"_ That voice… that voice, he heard that before. That sound, those eyes, the warm comforting hands… Only one person formed into his mind.

Their guardian.

It was… Len felt like fainting. It was their guardian. The guardian who played with them when they were young, the one who taught them interesting things, the one who made everybody laugh and _smile_—which he already forgot.

But, why was that related to her? Why does he remember his guardian—to Miku, a girl whom he just met? He needs answers.

He checked the letter- it still had writings in it. _Scratched_ writings, that is. He read the sketchy lines carefully and with haste, searching for answers.

_But, somehow, there's still something missing. It feels… broken. This would be a bit wrong and nosy for me to ask, but I couldn't control to write it here. Why aren't you happy? Why do you have a frown in your face every time I see you? Are you mad at me?_

Len slammed the paper on his desk. That wasn't quite helpful… But it made him question himself, asides from the many question he had in his mind. He only thought about one question. '_Why… why __**wasn't**__ he happy…?'_

He tried denying it. No, he was happy. But then he recalled all the things that his sister told him… that he was sulking, moaning, regretting, every night… wishing it could reverse everything that happened before. But all those tears did was wash all the past away… It made him forget.

The past was meant to correct what he did wrong. And yet, he forgot everything. He forgot everything that he learned, what he had to do to avoid it from happening again. He forgot… everything that guardian told him. He even forgot what that guardian looks like. Most importantly, he forgot what that guardian taught to him- to everybody in that building. It was to _smile_.

Len checked the letter one more time. There was another scratched line below it, and then he read it. As he did, his eyes widened. He knew what to do.

The stricken Len dashed out of his room and left his house. He knew he had one thing to take care of.

'…_I was just hoping that you could… __**s**__mile, __**pl**__ease, __**L**__en.'_

-qoooOOOOOOOOOOoooooooop-

_Note: Happy LenMiku Festival again!_

_ Gosh… I. need. Sleep. I haven't really checked my Gmail ever since last month. It just occurred to me. Sorry, I'll reply PM's some other day than today… I… really feel eye bags forming._

_ Was this chapter all right? Did this please you? I know the 3__rd__ and 4__th__ chapters doesn't have much fluff, since it was all about explanations and other stuff. Next chapter's gonna be… I guess the finale._

_ Well, I still have school tomorrow, so I have to sleep tightly though, hehe. :) All right, good night LenKu people…! :))_


	5. Five: Smile, Please Len!

**S**mile, **P**lease **L**en!

'…_I was just hoping that you could… smile, please, Len._'

Len's gaze fixed on the scribbled writings. _All this time… she… she felt it too?_

Len placed a hand on his chin. The person whom he thought was repeating his notoriously agonizing past… was the one who might actually soothe it.

Len felt it hard to swallow. He… he's hurt an innocent person. He felt… _guilty_.

So… all this time… He was just running away from the antidote of such toxic poison. Len inactively dropped the paper from his hands. Then his hands lifted up to the level of his chest.

… he felt as if a sharp blade withdrew from within him.

He felt as if…. He unchained himself from his flesh-stripping past. Just by that. Just by analyzing… no, _feeling _that warmth. He… he never got to know what it was called… He has to find the bandage that could cover his open wound... before time erases it.

His attention was back as he felt heat rise up to his face.

At that same moment, golden light flared at the corner of his eyes. The sun was setting. It… it was still afternoon. The time for their dismissal…

Much less, it was their _last _dismissal for the 1st semester… And then summer would take over…

Len's eyes lit up. He shouldn't be gazing at the floor all day—he's got something important to do!

With that, he dashed back off to the school he just left.

He turned in every corner, it felt like thousands of miles—a long boundary between reality and his own understanding and knowledge, bringing another scene on the other side, showing the golden rays about to set.

He has to know what he just felt. That warmth, no, infatuation-something…! Len was willing to do everything—_anything_ just to get that feeling again. Nothing was going to stop him from knowing!

Nothing… that is except for one limitless thing. His only enemy was time. Each step he took seemed to take for hours, though he was running so fast that he could feel the rough wind against his face.

He has to do it. He has to admit, that he has to apologize for mistaking her for something that she didn't do—something that no human person could even do; to repeat history. He was just so blind, his eyes were blindfolded by the dense haze of the past… a horrid past that he just misunderstood.

…Each time he thought about his blind self… he's gotten even curious and even curious on what he had felt… And how _she_ knew about it… He has to tell her that he felt it too. He… he just have to. Heck, he _must._

Before he knew it, his foot reached the gates of the school campus. Len stopped his pace and raked his hands against his blond hair, taking a second breather. The guards standing on the gates were busy managing the traffic jam. They seem to not notice him, all panting and sweaty all over… Len was still wearing his uniform after all.

Len focused on where he was going, passing through the gates. The building was quite different from what he used to see it… as well as all the faces of the students. It showed an identical motif of desperately going out of school and meet summer…

Then he stopped in the middle of the field near the fountain. He never really thought about it. Now that he was at school, how was he supposed to meet Miku…?

He tried to slow his pace. Although, he couldn't avoid from being hit by some other students rushing out of the building. Then he noticed that the space around him was getting tighter. And tighter.

Len was surfing in a wave of students. In fact, he was even going _against_ the current.

Len tried struggling forward. He didn't even get to move an inch. Students were rushing their way out of school. Or as it seemed. How could they be rushing if they weren't really moving at all? _**He**_ wasn't moving at all.

He was getting irritated. First, he doesn't know where to find her and now **this**? Time was ticking though he couldn't see it. He has to find get in that building—fast.

He looked straight at the educational building and searched for any signs of Miku… Len could barely even see the building's floor, thanks to the students' heads!

He scratched his head and tapped his foot impatiently. His consultation with Miku may not be as he expected it to be. He might not search for her in the building and meet in her room, or in the hallway or even ask her to go to the rooftop. That doesn't matter. What matters is that he'll find her. Immediately.

…But how?

All he could see were the shadows that were about to cover the whole building. The other higher floors were empty… the building seemed to be quiet as if all the noise was coming from the crowd that he was in…

Len's eyes lit up. '_What if she __**is**__ in this crowd?' _

Without moving a muscle, he felt the crowd getting a bit loose as he thought of possible ways to meet her.

If he'd search the building now, then there might be a chance that she was in the crowd the whole time. By then, she might go home already. If she was in the building as he searched for her in the crowd, then there might be a possibility that he could still see her…!

_There was no freaking damn way that he is going to spend the whole summer sulking and keeping that rotten guilt inside him-not this time! _

Without a second to waste, Len dove into the crowd once more.

_He has to know why she also felt that sensation and he is not going to miss that opportunity._

Len scanned the crowd. He looked for a peculiar, teal-haired girl… he knew he could see her with those stand-out teal hair… but he saw no signs of her. Why was she damn short?

_There was no way he is going to let her slip away from his grasp without her knowing what he feels._

But he had a gut-feeling that she was still here in the campus… But, why… why can't he just see her?

A couple of students were sitting by the fountain, some groups of students were still walking out of the school slowly… There was no trace of Miku. Len was about to lose his hope.

But… somehow, he couldn't. He just found out his missing past, he had awaken from his dark sulking… yet at the expense of the girl's happiness. After all he did… was just because of his misunderstanding.

The sky was getting indigo, pink and orange scattered near the setting sun.

He has to fix the mess he made out of his delusion. He just couldn't give up. He... he still had one last place to look out.

Len looked back, deciding to check the building instead. Striking white lights were glowing from within the building's narrow entrance. Despite the loose space, some groups of students were _still_ blocking his vision from the building. Doubling the bright contrast against the dark surroundings he is at, Len could barely see a thing.

But that's not going to stop him from finding Miku. A girl whom he wasn't sure if she's still at the same ground as his.

_He is not going to let that inspired and bubbly girl pop and expire into thin air— especially not at summer-_

"Gah!"

Len felt as if he has bumped into something. Why does he keep bumping on people? Wait… could it be? He felt his heart pumping wildly. He still couldn't see if it was her… But, could this be Miku…?

"Watch where your goin'!"

Len looked back, and saw a male student rushing to the gate. Len felt disappointed. Now that he could see clearly from behind him, unfortunately, it was _clearly_ not Miku. How could he mistake Miku for a man?

…Len realized that he was getting desperate.

He sighed, then just stared off the distance, past the gates. The skies were already indigo. The school lights had turned on.

In every minute that has passed, it seems as if he was losing hope… _What if she really isn't here? _He looked at his black school shoes. Light from behind him made it shine on the sides of his leather shoes. The shiny part was blinking as some other students blocked the light, walking past by him.

To whom was he kidding? She may have already left… Perchance he has to hide the bitterness. He… he never thought what would happen if he didn't see her.

Len, who was still unconsciously staring at his shiny shoes, about to lift his foot when he noticed that his shoes has lost it's shine.. He reckon that the lights turned out… But how come he could still see his shadow?

…Is… that even his shadow?

"Len..?" He heard the voice from behind him.

Len immediately looked back, towards the bright light. He was facing a silhouette of a person who seems to be carrying a broad envelope- a briefcase, Len presumed. The figure shows two elongated things dropping from the top until the length of its knees—could it be?

"M-miku…?" Len couldn't help himself from asking if the figure in front of him is the girl whom he had been searching for. Her name flowed ever graciously as he said her name. He… he wasn't so sure if this student really is Miku Hatsune.

Len waited for a response. The figure just stood there…! He got a little bit closer to the figure—ah! Len felt heat rising up gradually. Miku Hatsune, the girl whom he had to apologize to, was now in front of his very eyes.

_Navy blue orbs met sea-green eyes… holding a very steady gaze,_

She had a rather shocked expression drawn to her face. Len intuitively scratched his chin. Now that he already found her, it seemed as if the words that he was going to say just got lost.

_None of them was backing out; they were just standing face to face._

Miku was just watching him patiently, nothing was moving at all. She was like a statue… but as Len could notice, her hands were trembling. Is there anything that he could do?

They were at the heat of the moment. Literally, Len felt the heat skyrocketing from his toes up to the top of his head. There it was again! That exploding feeling…!

"Why is it that I feel this way every time I see you?"

"W-what?" Miku said, barely hearable. Then she blinked a few times, she seemed to misunderstand what he just said.

"Uh…" he started. _Damn! _He didn't even think what he was going to say. "Uuhhh…" Len stared down to his feet. Guess he would just say sorry to what he's done.

"Well, I didn't really mean to say those things," he said. "Y'know, all those rude stuff that I did earlier during lunchtime."

Miku cocked her head at him. Len knew he doesn't seem to make any sense… he doesn't seem to feel that Miku believes his apology.

The atmosphere seemed to have gotten lighter, despite the silence. He couldn't take the awkward silence anymore. "I just realized that all this time… you seem to have made me feel… brighter…" Len wanted to explain further that he was sorry. "It's as if you've… _cured_ me."

Len stopped. "Ah- what I actually meant is…" What was he saying? He felt that a hundred words were going to burst out of his mouth. The adrenalin was racing inside him.

_**"Whe-whenever I see you, i-it's as if my chest would blow up,"**_ Did he just said that aloud? He wanted to cover his mouth, but he just couldn't! **"**_**And when you look back at me, I could feel the heat rising…"**_

There was no turning back now. He just has to say whatever he could think of.

Len felt as if his deepest darkest secret was exposed to the whole world. He looked down on his shoes. Still, there was an awkward moment of silence. Len didn't know if she understood what he just said. He was supposed to apologize, but what the heck did he just blurt? Len wanted to turn his back on her, but he just couldn't. It was as if he was poured with a gallon of cement and glue.

What would be the remains of him if Miku would smash him into pieces? He has hurt her and now he is going to confront with her? Len surely didn't know what to say or even do-

"Oh, um, y-you came all this way to say that?" Len heard what Miku said. His hands dug deeper into his pockets. He just couldn't think of any word to say, now that he had burst out _everything_ he was thinking… well, his mind wasn't thinking at all. It seemed as if the only thing that moved inside him is his pumping heart.

"W-well then," she said, in a faint _titter_. Len was not sure if he heard that right… yet the chest pumping seems to beat faster. He looked up at Miku, who was playing with her hands.

"Th-that's funny…" Miku said softly, and then she _tittered_ under her breath.

"F-funny?" Len's voice rose. His confrontation was serious. It took him hours just to see her and fix things… Now she's going to laugh?

"Y-yes, I-I find it really hilarious," she giggled.

Len froze. She… she giggled? He could not believe his ears. So… She wasn't mad at him. After all the things that he did? What happened to this girl…?

Miku looked up, caught by Len's confused gaze. She shook her head. "It's funny, because…" She bit her lip."…_**whe-whenever I see you look at me, my heart somehow gets filled,"**_

Len felt his forehead eased. _Why he wants to see her, why he felt that feeling, does she feel it too, what that feeling is…_ All his questions were answered with that one simple realization… through what Miku said. He… he was relieved. He was… happy.

…He felt his mouth distorted… misshapen. He… he forgot what this shape was called. But it helped him express the happiness that he felt.

"L-len..!" Len heard Miku gasp, her hands covering her lips.

_Why was she so shocked?_ Len thought. _First, she suddenly giggled then she became shocked? _Yes, he is happy… but… What was it this time? Was it because of… him being… happy? Now he was the one who felt confused this time. Miku wasn't moving an inch Len went closer to her.

…then Len heard her giggle.

Len looked up and saw her; she was giggling and smiling warmly. That… that look on her face eventually made him even happier. He could feel his mouth stretching as his face grow hotter and hotter. He was glad he saw Miku's happy self once more… that he wanted to tell her that-

"I-I never thought that I could see you smile," Miku interrupted him. Len looked at her, confused. That was supposed to be his line… Did… did she meant that he… _smiled_?

Miku giggled once more, "Oh, you… you actually didn't know that you just smiled, don't you?"

Len felt dumbfounded. So... how long has he smiled before... Was he _that_ dumb to forget how that felt? But what struck him the most was that… everything seemed to be… fast, for the past few days. First, the girl whom he always see for the entire semester suddenly sneaked a letter in his and his sister's locker. Then he met her at the cafeteria. He recalled he woke up at noon just because of thinking about her. Then Rin stole his headphones and met Miku in the rooftop, wherein he screwed it all, and realized what he felt and all… and now… he realized that his supposition was correct. This… this girl in front of him… really was the cure to his past.

Len got back to his senses, as Miku got a bit closer to him, saying, "Oh… so…"

"Uh, yeah," he said. Actually, Len felt a bit uncomfortable. It was a bit… awkward that he was in front of a peculiar girl whom he had just talked to for the past few days. But he went closer, following the beat of his thumping heart.

"Umm, it's kind of getting late," she said. "B-but it looks wonderful," Miku looked at the skies. Len was just staring at her. Faint orange lights highlighted her dainty face.

"Y-yeah… you really are wonderful," Len said, rather unconsciously. Realizing what he said, he wanted to take back what he said. But it seemed as if Miku didn't hear it. The blend of colors mesmerized her.

Len decided to look up at the skies. Although the school gate was blocking it, he could still see the setting sun. The skies around it were painted with indigo, dark orange strokes scattered on it. The clouds were mixed with a faint fuchsia. It… it really was soothing. It made him feel comfortable… as if he belonged to it.

Len froze as he realized something. Was it the sunset that makes him feel belonged? Or the girl beside him…? His eyes focused on the one beside him. Her hands seemed to be free… and trembling. Somehow, he wanted to hold it.

Len's gaze went back to the sunset. Then he felt warmth against his palm… His hand already met hers.

Len checked if it was okay for him to hold her hand. Miku was unresponsive, still looking at the sunset in front of them. He looked in front of them, then he felt a squeeze in his hand. Len almost jolted. He looked at Miku, who was smiling at him.

Len avoided her gaze, yet he can't help to prevent his mouth from broadening. He… he can't help but… smile, as well.

They slowly walked towards the gate… their hands never breaking apart.

Now that everything was okay… or as Len seemed… what would happen to them next…?

"You're not angry, right?" Len double-checked her. He couldn't think of anything to say.

"Well, I _was_," she said, just looking straight at where they were going.

The silence was killing him. But his close encounter with Miku was making his heart pump wilder than just staring at her. That reminded him of one last question. "Hey, I'm just wondering…"

Miku looked at him, their pace stopping. Len continued, "Since you felt it, too, why is it that I feel… that exploding feeling when I see you?"

It was weird. He was always repeating that question yet it wasn't answered yet.

Miku looked up and said, "Hmm… I… I don't know." She tapped her finger on her cheek. Then she giggled. "Actually, why _do_ I feel warmth when I see you looking at me…?"

There was a moment of silence.

"Oh!" Miku clasped her hands, breaking the bond in their hands. "Ahehe… Mind if I ask you something?"

Len just looked at her. "No, not all. What is it?" _What was she asking now…?_

"Well, I heard this from all those sweet flicks and movies and fiction books—oh! Sparks is a great writ—"

"Just say it." Len bawled his eyes. He got impatient with all her talking and mumbling and giddying and whatnot.

"Oh, hehe, sorry…" Miku looked down then inhaled. Loudly. "Okay, I was thinking that maybe we'd act like them and—"

"Just go on with it!"

"Okay, okay, mister crabby," She pouted. Wait, what did she just call him? Before he could say another word, Miku already spoke the question.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?"

Len felt taken aback. He didn't expect her to ask such question. But… what was it called? Love at first sight? Oh. So, it was called to as love? "What?"

Miku rolled her eyes playfully. "No! You were supposed to ask why I said that!"

Len felt as if they were in kindergarten. So… it was called love. He heard it from school before. But isn't love the affection for someone special to an individual? He felt that to his sister, to his foster parents. But this seemed different.

"Why did you ask that?" Len told Miku. But before Miku could answer, Len interrupted her. "This… this feeling is much different than on television or books."

Miku paused. Then she giggled and played along. "So, what did you call this, huh, Mr. Smart Guy?"

Len froze. "Well… all I know it's a different kind of love…" Wait, how would he know?

"How would I know? I'm the one who asked!"

"Well then," Miku deepened her voice. "This is another case of the detective Miku! Describe it for me!"

Len looked at her, raising a brow. Is she serious? Miku seemed to be determined. "Come on!"

Len put out a sigh. It was really like in his orphanage days. Guess he should play along. "It felt like…" He tried describing the thumping and… _sky rocketing_ sensation. Len looked away from Miku, hiding his humiliated face. "H-hey, I-I already told you that!"

Miku pouted, putting her hands in her hips. "Okay, so you said it was exploding once you feel it…" She tapped her finger in her cheeks. "And then I feel as if I get filled up… and it was warm and fuzzy."

Miku wrote invisible words at her palm, using her finger. "Exploding… filled… fuzzy… warm…" Then she jolted and clasped her hands. "Like a soda!"

Len just stared at her. He wasn't following what she was saying. "Uh… a… '_Soda'_ kind of love?"

"Yup!" Miku grinned from ear to ear.

"So…" Len crossed his arms. "A Soda Love?"

"Come to think of it, it sounds kind of weird..." Miku cupped her face, thinking.

Len didn't mind her. He just feels so happy. He looked at the heavens above them. It was as if the first evening star was smiling down at them…

He sighed. Everything was okay… or as he seemed it.

The mess that he made… was fixed in a matter of days. And they solved the 'feeling' puzzle… which lasted for months… until the end of summer.

Then the guardian who cared for Len and his sister, who was the missing link of his past… was actually the reason for his sulking. And someone who reminds him of her, was now walking beside him. She was the one who cured him.

"Oh!" She began jumping. "How about Soda Pop Love!"

"Soda Pop Love?" Len repeated unconsciously.

"Yeah!" Miku swung her briefcase forward and backward. "It's cute, don't you think?"

_Huh…_ Len thought. So… what that feeling was then called to as a made-up kind of love which is Soda Pop Love. Soda Pop. Wait, isn't that the reason why they met at the cafeteria? Because of the soda?

That… that was just… weird. But somehow, it suits it.

It suits them.


End file.
